Hearts Aglow (18 page)
“I have something to tell everyone,” G.W. began.
Quickly, Deborah turned her gaze to the plate, lest she give away the news. She was tickled to hear her brother make the announcement. It would do him good; lately he’d been rather distant and quiet.
“Well, do tell,” Mother said, putting aside her fork. “What is it that you want to share?”
Deborah looked up and found all eyes turned to G.W. Lizzie looked as though she might burst into song at any moment.
“Lizzie found out today that she’s gonna have to be in bed for a time.”
Mother frowned. “Is there a problem?”
G.W. shook his head. “Not unless you consider two grandbabies, instead of one, a problem.”
Deborah clapped her hands at the stunned expressions around the table. “Isn’t it grand news?”
Mother was the first to recover. “It’s amazing news. Twins?”
Lizzie nodded. “Dr. Clayton has wondered for a time, but now he’s sure. He said twins are likely to come early, so he wants me to spend these final weeks in bed.”
Sissy, who sat beside Mother near the head of the table, leaned forward. “I was sure ’bout two babies a long time ago. Seems a doctor should’a knowed, too.”
Deborah laughed. “I expected that you or Mother would figure it out before Lizzie made her announcement.”
“We did discuss the possibilities,” Mother admitted, “but I figured we’d know in time. Besides that, G.W. was a big baby, and I think I looked very nearly as large in my last months. Oh, this is grand news!”
G.W. smiled and put his arm around Lizzie’s shoulder. “It’s a double blessing from the Lord.”
“To be sure,” Uncle Arjan said, nodding. “Children are a gift from the Lord. The Good Book says so.”
Rob nodded. “It does, at that. Guess you’ll get your quiver full a little faster, havin’ two at a time.” He smiled. “Leave it to you to do things in a big way.”
“Well, the first thing we need to do is double our efforts at making baby clothes and diapers,” Mother said. “Of course, once word gets around, I know the women in this community will be coming forward with gifts and any of their extras.”
“And lying about in bed will provide me ample time to sew,” Lizzie said. She looked to Sissy. “Maybe you can teach me how to do that lovely smocking you put on the baby gown you made.”
“I shore ’nuf can. Be my pleasure. You and me ain’t much help otherwise.”
“You neither one need to worry,” Mother declared. “Deborah and I can manage just fine.”
“And if we need an extra hand,” Rob added, “I’m sure Mara would be right here.”
Mother nodded. “So you see, it’s all worked out.”
Deborah thought of the time she’d been spending with Christopher helping on his rounds. The men at the mill had been hostile to her presence the first few times, but now they seemed to take her in stride, and a few actually seemed to welcome her company. Of course, they weren’t willing for her to actually do much in the way of tending them. Other times, the women in the area seemed to accept her help without too much protest. As long as Christopher was there, they appeared to tolerate her quite well.
She wondered, though, if this news would put an end to her work with the doctor. Mother would need her here to help with the house and garden. Sissy was only just getting to a place where she could do simple chores like shelling peas and peeling potatoes without tiring too quickly. She had trouble remembering things, and often garbled her words, but Christopher said that in time it would either straighten itself out or not. There wasn’t really anything they could do.
Tomorrow, she decided, she would go and speak to Christopher and let him know the situation. He would understand, and perhaps even have some thoughts as to how she could continue to work with him. Maybe on days when the men were home or Mara came to help, Deborah would be able to slip away and attend patients with Christopher.
To her surprise, however, Deborah didn’t have to wait until the next day. A knock at the door soon revealed the doctor himself.
He’d come to see Deborah, but she knew once he saw her mother’s cobbler, he’d happily postpone their courting.
“We’ve just heard the good news about the babies,” Deborah announced.
“And the bad news about me going to bed,” Lizzie added.
“Ain’t bad news if it keeps you and the babies safe,” G.W. added.
Mother nodded. “That’s right. Dr. Clayton, you just sit yourself down. I’ll get you a plate,” she said, getting to her feet. “I know you have a particular fondness for rhubarb cobbler.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Christopher agreed, taking a seat beside Deborah.
He was quickly rewarded with a heaping portion and smiled with great satisfaction as Deborah passed him the cream.
“If you’d timed your visit a little more carefully, you could have had supper with us, as well,” Mother told him.
“I’ll try to remember that next time,” he said, pouring thick cream on the cobbler.
“We were mighty happy about the news,” Arjan joined in. “Our Lizzie is having twins.”
Christopher nodded. “That she is.” He looked to G.W. “Many congratulations.”
“Thanks, Doc. I have to say, the news just about made my whole year.”
“I’m pleased to hear it.” Christopher dove into the cobbler and smiled with great satisfaction as he enjoyed the first mouthful.
“We will see to it that Lizzie spends her remaining confinement taking it very easy,” Mother added. “I hope you’ll give us any special instructions we need.”
“The important thing is the rest, which will lessen the strain on the uterus.” He looked around the table rather quickly. “Excuse me for being so blunt.”
“It’s not a problem,” Mother insisted. “We are all quite capable of hearing the truth. Rest assured, we shall watch over Lizzie with great care.”
“I’ve no doubt about that.” Christopher refocused on the cobbler.
Deborah watched him enjoy the dessert and took joy in his pleasure. It seemed it took so little to make him happy. She supposed that if she were to take her courtship seriously, it might behoove her to hone her cooking skills. Maybe staying at home was just the right thing to get Christopher more serious about their marriage. After all, he’d really not spoken of such things in months. Maybe he’d changed his mind.
She frowned. Would he tell her if he had?
Soon enough, the coffeepot ran dry and everyone, including Christopher, had enjoyed their share of dessert. Mother smiled as she got to her feet and suggested Deborah and Christopher might like to take a walk.
“Now that the sun is starting to set, the air won’t be so heavy,” she told them.
Christopher nodded and helped Deborah to her feet. “I had just such a thing in mind.”
Deborah didn’t even bother with a shawl. The heat would still be too much to have need of it. She made her way outside with Christopher and waited for him to point the direction.
They walked slowly, as if heading to town. Overhead, the large pines swayed in the light breeze. The air wasn’t nearly so humid, and Deborah breathed deep of the heavy pine scent. She had missed such things when she’d lived in Philadelphia.
“What are you grinning about?” Christopher asked, smiling.
“I was just thinking of how much I love it here,” she replied. “I missed my home when I was in Philadelphia. It can be overbearingly hot here, but so can the city.”
Christopher said nothing, and Deborah wondered if she’d somehow caused him to think of his own home. She moved the conversation on. “I suppose you realize I’ll be needed at home more now that Lizzie will be confined?”
“Yes, I suppose I do.”
They continued walking in the fading light. Deborah longed to take hold of his arm, but refrained. It seemed every time they touched, something stirred deep inside that left her with even greater longing.
“We shouldn’t venture too far,” Christopher said, turning back toward the house. “You never know what kind of trouble might lurk.”
“It’s true,” Deborah replied and quickly matched her steps to his. “But we needn’t rush.”
He smiled. “Trying to keep me out here, all to yourself?”
She felt her cheeks grow hot, but returned the tease. “Of course.
Isn’t that what courting couples do?”
He gave a low chuckle. “Some do much more than that.”
Now she really felt the heat on her face. “Dr. Clayton, what a bold thing to say. You have me blushing.”
Stopping, he stunned her to silence by taking her in his arms.
“Then this should positively turn you scarlet.” He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. For a moment, Deborah forgot where and who she was. She felt as if her heart was aglow – growing brighter by the minute.
Pulling away, Christopher had to steady her before she lost her balance. Looking up at him, Deborah could only stare openmouthed. She tried to speak, but the words seemed stuck in the back of her throat.
“I hope I haven’t offended you,” he said with a hint of a grin. “I’m not the least bit sorry I did that, but I would hate myself if I upset you.”
“I . . . uh . . . I just thought our first kiss would . . . well . . . be . . .”
“Be what?” He frowned. “Wasn’t it good? I mean, I liked it very much.”
“It was wonderful,” she managed. Touching her hands to her cheeks, she couldn’t imagine anything more delightful. “I suppose I didn’t expect it to be so . . . stimulating.”
He roared with laughter and swung her around in a circle. “You never fail to amaze me, Miss Vandermark. I’ve wanted to kiss you for a very long time, and while I know it’s completely inappropriate with the standards of proper etiquette, I want nothing more than to do it again.”
He stopped and lowered her back to the ground. His expression suggested he was seeking permission. Deborah nodded and closed her eyes. “Me too.”
Christopher looked at the letter once again and felt the same sense of discouragement. His mother wrote to give him the news as she did every month, and it only seemed that things were worse than ever. Two of his brothers were in trouble for fighting. They’d been expelled from school with the suggestion that they were incapable of learning. The youngest two had caught the mumps, but were recovering. His father was his usual angry self, insisting his wife bring him liquor instead of food.
Daily he curses God,
his mother wrote.
He says such hideous things
that I cannot bear to listen. I spend less and less time with him, and I know
he hates me for deserting him. God is all I have to cling to these days.
Christopher could just imagine his father’s tirades. The man had given up what faith he’d had in God after the accident that crippled him; Christopher could still hear his father bellow,
“God
clearly doesn’t care about the likes of me and mine.”
He glanced back at the letter, and this time, his mother’s voice drowned out the bitterness of his father.
I know these things will never
change. I used to have hope that they would, but it takes too much of my
strength.
Christopher hoped the money he sent would be enough to ease her burden, but that was foolish. Some miseries couldn’t be alleviated with money.
He pushed the letter away and stared at his empty coffee cup. Maybe it had been a mistake to come to Texas. Perhaps his mother would have fared better if he’d set up practice in Kansas City. Of course, that would have brought its own share of difficulties.
Pushing back his chair, Christopher stood. He reached for the letter and folded it carefully before replacing it in the envelope. He’d reply later tonight. It would give him time to consider what he wanted to say.
“Hello? Christopher?”
He smiled and cast the envelope on the table. “I’m back here in the kitchen.”
Deborah wasted no time in joining him. “How are you? I haven’t seen you for so long. Lizzie is doing well, but we’ve been so busy.”
Christopher picked up his coffee cup. “I think there’s still some coffee, if you want a cup.”
She shook her head. “No, I was just hoping to go with you on your rounds. In some ways, I feel like Lizzie’s confinement is my own.”
“It won’t be long. Besides, this is good practice for you. For you to tend an expectant mother is something that women will not balk at. Tending a woman who is to birth twins will be excellent to add to your list of experiences.” He put the cup on the counter. “Now, if you’ll give me just a moment to gather my things, we’ll head out.” She followed him from the kitchen and back into the exam room.
“Is there anything I can do?”
“No, most everything is ready.” Christopher went to the cupboard and pulled out several small bottles to put in his bag.
“I saw you had a letter on the table. News from home?” she asked.
He turned and looked at her with a frown. “Yes, but not as good as I’d hoped.”
“Oh, I am sorry. Can you speak of it?”
Deborah moved toward him, then stopped. Christopher thought she looked genuinely concerned. No doubt, she would ask him questions. He probably should have remained silent.
